Silver-leaved
Ironbark ridges, of a dreary aspect, and covered with small shining brown
iron pebbles, alternating with small plains and box-flats, extended
generally to the northward. Some of the hills were open at their summits,
timbered with apple-gum, and covered with white ant-hills; their bases
were surrounded with thickets of the Severn tree. We encamped at a fine
Nymphaea lagoon, in the rich shade of a white drooping gum tree. A large
but dry creek was near us to the westward. The grass was excellent.
August 2. - We travelled twelve miles west-north-west, over a fine
box-flat, crossed a good sized creek, about five miles from the camp,
and, to the westward of it, passed over seven miles of Ironbark ridges.
We descended from them into the valley of a creek fringed with the
white-gum tree, and followed it down for about three miles before we
found water. We encamped at a good water-hole, at the foot of the ridges,
in latitude 18 degrees 0 minutes 42 seconds. Brown and Charley, who had
gone two miles lower down, told me that they had found salt-water, and
deposits of very fine salt. Many lagoons were on the flats, surrounded by
Polygonums, and frequented by ducks, spoonbills, and various aquatic
birds. They had shot, however, only one teal and a spoonbill. In
travelling down the creek, we frequently started wallabies. Geophaps
plumifera was very frequent on the Ironbark ridges.
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